why avoid M111 ?

From reading on here about Fuji on M111. They do not do well. Grow too much wood I read.

LR,
Last year I got 8 trees from them, on sale, and they were very nice. I wouldn't hesitate to buy from them.

I have had good luck with them but you never know? Companies change. so many Fuji varieties, and root stocks, it is confusing as to which to buy???

If rootstock is important to you, avoid Starks.

With that comment about Starks,,,WHY?

Because Starks won't tell you what rootstocks you're getting when you buy from them. If "dwarf" or "semi-dwarf" is all you want to know, they're fine. But if you want to use or avoid a specific rootstock, it's a problem.

Several threads around here on this issue.

Stark Bros is also stingy about telling chill hours. I've seen some varieties of fruit trees being recommended for my 8B area with 800-1000 chill hours. No thanks.

As a new fruit tree guy I just bought three dwarf plums. Since then I realized I have no idea of the rootstock I got. They also screwed up the order. I paid for three dwarfs (larger caliper) but got regular. I had no problems with a refund though. Ymmv.

Chill hours sometimes is just a number thrown out there when they really don't know. look up Kuffle Creek and Dave Wilson Nursery on you tube and hear what they have to say, he is growing apples with a 800-1000 chill hour in Southern California with low chill hours and 113 temps.

From what I've read, it seems like many varieties get by on much lower chill out West than they can thrive on here in the East.

I'm not sure why this is.

The apple trees may get by on less chill hours in the southwest. The vigor is not the same though. They will not grow and produce at the same level as if they had proper chill.

I have witnessed this first hand. My family has property in Julian, CA where there is plenty of chill usually 1000+ hours. I have compared some apple varieties grown in Julian to the same ones grown in my backyard, San Diego, where I get 300 hours. In Julian the trees are much more vigorous, mature faster, and bear fruit much earlier.